E-Paper
Ad hocism in medical education department affecting functioning, says teacher’s body
PSMDTA president Dr Darshanjit Walia said that the association has continuously been demanding regular appointments in all administrative posts in the department to improve the functioning of the medical institutions.
Punjab state medical and dental teacher association (PSMDTA), a body of medical professors, flagged the ad hocism in the medical education department and termed it as the main reason behind the downfall of the professionalism in the department.
PSMDTA president Dr Darshanjit Walia said that the association has continuously been demanding regular appointments in all administrative posts in the department to improve the functioning of the medical institutions.
“The Punjab medical education service (PMES) rules are being violated, and the ineligible candidates are given key posts, leaving the cadre demoralised,” he said.
Except for the director of research and medical education (DRME), all administrative posts within the department are currently run by the staff appointed on an ad hoc basis or by the people having additional charges.
“All key positions, from the joint DRME to the director principal of Government Medical Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar, have been filled by ad-hoc staff,” a professor added, pleading anonymity.
According to PMES rules, these appointments should have been made from a chosen panel of senior-most (in-service) professors by the departmental promotion committee (DPC).
Ironically, no DPC meeting has been held for these administrative posts for over a decade now, except for the DRME.
One professor, who had to resign owing to the ad hoc appointments, said, “There is no point in continuing in the post of ad hoc when you are now and then pressurised and humiliated.”
“As appointments are interim we can’t take action against defaulters,” he added on the condition of anonymity.
Former professor at GMC Patiala Dr GS Kalyan said: “Ad hocism has ruined the medical education department. No one can work efficiently in administrative roles so long you are not a permanent appointee.”
Principal secretary medical education Priyank Bharti acknowledged the issue and said that in the government setup, they sometimes have to make interim appointments so that administrative work doesn’t suffer.
“The goal is to always make permanent appointments, but it takes time to verify all the eligibility criteria. I need to check whether some of these posts are substantive or supernumerary. If they are substantive, I will expedite the DPC process,” he added.
